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GOP tries to quell dissent on taxes

Some Republicans believe that John Boehner has said enough for now. | AP Photo

Added Coburn: “The fact is taxes are going to go up. Should they? No, but they are.”

Another faction in the party, including Sens. Mike Johanns of Nebraska and Kelly Ayotte of New Hampshire, will consider higher tax revenues — but only if they come through closing loopholes and capping tax deductions and are paired with deep spending cuts.

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Ben White explains fiscal cliff

“I just don’t think Democrats are prepared to give enough on entitlements at this point,” Johanns said when asked if he could accept a tax rate increase.

Then there are those like Sen. Jim DeMint (R-S.C.): conservatives who are adamantly opposed to raising any tax revenue whatsoever.

“It makes no sense,” DeMint, who is retiring to take the helm of the conservative Heritage Foundation, told POLITICO. “I don’t think there’s any way you can reconcile that with the principles that we stand for. That will be a big, big problem.”

Senate Republican Whip Jon Kyl of Arizona is encouraging GOP lawmakers to remember why the party is so opposed to letting the Bush-era tax rates expire on the top end.

“I would just hope they would remember that we haven’t been defending the top two rates because of rich people,” he said. “We’ve been defending the top two rates because of the effect on small businesses of raising those rates. I would just hope that everybody would discuss it in that way.”

The Republican divide over taxes underscores how the party is struggling to gain an edge in the negotiations from a president who refuses to consider extending the current 35 percent tax rate for those who earn more than $250,000 annually. Despite trading proposals with the speaker this week, Obama has said the GOP must accept raising tax rates on the top 2 percent before Democrats would entertain cuts to entitlements.

That position runs counter to the GOP belief that doing so would imperil the economy. So caving on that core principle is causing a fresh round of hand-wringing in Republican circles.

“It would be very difficult for me to swallow,” said Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) when asked about a tax rate increase. “I think we’ve got to accept the fact that there’s going to be more revenue.”

Adding to the anxiety is growing pressure the party is under from conservative thought leaders. The Wall Street Journal editorial page took Corker and other Republicans to task Monday for talking about concessions that could ultimately make it harder for the party to attain its policy goals.

"You asked, do I feel free. Let me put it to you this way: I earned capital in the campaign, political capital, and now I intend to spend it. It is my style. That’s what happened in the — after the 2000 election, I earned some capital. I’ve earned capital in this election — and I’m going to spend it for what I told the people I’d spend it on, which is — you’ve heard the agenda: Social Security and tax reform, moving this economy forward, education, fighting and winning the war on terror."

Ah the words of George W Bush that today's GOP wish he had never uttered back in 2004 when he won the narrowest of election victories.

Buck up - President Obama and the voice of the majority of Americans will see to it that the 2%ers start paying their fair share. For eight miserable years Dubya pushed our nation into financial ruin.

Cut expenses - that is where the problem is IF you're without Gogads go back to the 2,000 budget and dump all the regulations incurred since then and dump all the regulators and losers hired since then. Get government back to a reasonable . Immediately go to the Accrual system for Government Accounting Kick the can down the road and go to JAIL!

"You asked, do I feel free. Let me put it to you this way: I earned capital in the campaign, political capital, and now I intend to spend it. It is my style. That’s what happened in the — after the 2000 election, I earned some capital. I’ve earned capital in this election — and I’m going to spend it for what I told the people I’d spend it on, which is — you’ve heard the agenda: Social Security and tax reform, moving this economy forward, education, fighting and winning the war on terror."

Ah the words of George W Bush that today's GOP wish he had never uttered back in 2004 when he won the narrowest of election victories.

Buck up - President Obama and the voice of the majority of Americans will see to it that the 2%ers start paying their fair share. For eight miserable years Dubya pushed our nation into financial ruin.

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Every day that passes by and we go deeper into chaos, Bush looks better and better. Obama's lack of leadership is showing, doesn't it? YOU WERE WARNED!

Hmm...I wonder where Senator Shelby stood on the "backroom dealing" that was part of the negotiations for the Affordable Care Act. Apparently he wants to negotiate in secret with regard to the fiscal cliff. I can actually see why. This issue could tear the Republican party apart, with any luck. A public discussion (ie. democracy) never shines a positive light on Republicans who, in reality, prefer that these processes occur without the benefit of public scrutiny.

Every day that passes by and we go deeper into chaos, Bush looks better and better.

Every month that unemployment falls, Bush looks worse and worse. That's the reality. But that doesn't stop traitors like you from rooting against America.

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During the Bush years unemployment was at 5% or so.....but I am sure you were either a child or have forgotten. BTW, the unemployment is falling under Obama because people are falling from the job market, not because of new jobs. How many people filed for unemployment benefits last month? 350,000+~

Obama dreams of having Bush's average unemployment of 5.3% over 8 years.

So it looks like Republicans want to follow the course of Europe and do austerity, which is a combination of tax increases and steep government cuts during a weak recovery. Have they forgotten ECON 101? It's always best to do a combination of these two options: lower taxes and cut government spending or raise taxes and increase government spending. Since the voters have spoken, it's time to choose the latter option. Doing both will just retard economic activity.

Every day that passes by and we go deeper into chaos, Bush looks better and better. Obama's lack of leadership is showing, doesn't it? YOU WERE WARNED!

I agree.., let Dubya go out and campaign as the big eared guy is doing now... No one, but no one speaks better for the Pubbies than Dubya... Dubya.., the champion to lessen Boehner's anxiety and tinkling in his pantalones...